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T. M. BRINTNALL.

AUTOMATIC SAFE BOLT WORK.

No. 354,681. Patehted Den. 21,1886.

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T. M. BRINTNALL. AUTOMATIC SAFE BOLT WORK.

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T. M. BRINTNALL.

AUTOMATIC SAFE BOLT WORK. No. 354,681. Patented Dec. 21, 1886.

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THOMAS M. BRINTNALL, OF MARYVILLE, MISSOURL AUTOMATIC SAFE BOLT-W ORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,681, dated December21, 1886.

Application filed July 9, 1885. Serial No. 171,147. (No model.)

T aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. BRINTNALL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Maryville, in the county of Nodaway and State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Automatic Safe Bolt-Work,of which the following is a description.

This invention relates to that class of locks which are arranged to beopened by clockwork. In this class of locks the bolts are alwaysretracted by springs, and in some styles of locks the bolts are bothextended and retracted by springs. In order that these springs may berelied upon to do their duty under all circumstances resulting fromvariations by heat, cold, rust, &c., the said springs are usually made agreat deal stronger than is actually required to do the Work. On thisaccount the I bolts would generally be thrown with a great deal ofsurplus force, causing wear and endangering breakage of the parts. Theseobjectionable effects might be to some extent alleviated by interposingwell-known cushions or cushioning-springs near the end of the stroke ofsome adjunct of the bolts between said moving adjunct and a stationarypart of the look; but cushions of any kind for this purpose areobjectionable for several reasons first, because the farther they are.compressed the more they resist, while the bolt-springsad vance withcontinually-diminishing force, so that a cushion is likely to stop theaction of the bolts before theircourse is completed, and

the exact points at which all the parts will come 'to rest cannot bepredicated; secondly, because where a sudden blow is struck upon aspring or cushion a portion of the'foroe is given off as a shock towhatever supports the cushion, and a portion remains stored up in thecushion, to be given off in some indefinite way, which prevents thataccuracy of results which an automatic time-lock should produce.

My invention is based on an entirely differ ent principle from thatalready described.

Its object is, first, to offer continual resistance to the advance ofthe bolt-springs, to prevent their ever acquiring a dangerous velocityor damaging momentum; secondly, to offer a gradually-decreasingresistance to the action of the said bolt-propelling springs, wherebyand yet with very little effort.

however powerful it may be, to a low rate of v 4 speed, thus avoidingany shock; thirdly, to release the bolt by the act of closing the doorto be locked at the instant that the door is fully closed; fourthly, toso hold the spring--' retaining arm that it will release itself from itsdetent by the action of the bolt-springs as soon as the detent is setfree by clock-work;

and, fifthly, to so arrange a system of levers and'catches as to enablethe clock-work to restrain the bolt-springs with positive certainty,

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination ofparts forming an automatic safe-lock, hereinafter described and claimed,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isan inside view of asafe-door,showing the bolt-works of my lock inelevation, the bolts being retracted and the springs unstrained. Fig. 2is a right-hand edge view of the same part in section. Fig; 3 is anelevation of the lock, showing the bolts and latches set with thesprings under full strain ready for the door to be closed. Fig. 4 is apartial lower;

- end view of the same. Fig. 5 isa horizontal section, partly inelevation, through the lock in the plane of one line of bolts. Fig. 6 isan elevation of the lock with the bolts extended. Fig. 7 is a right-handend view of the same. Fig. 8 is an elevation, part in section, of adetail of the lock. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section, part in elevation,at the line 3/ 3 Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of a detail atm, Fig. 8. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of a detail. Fig. 12 is atransverse section at z of the detail shown in Fig. 11. Fig. 13 is acentral hori zontal section of the lock part in elevation.

Fig. 14 is an edge view, and Fig. 15 a face view,

of the spring-box cover. Fig. 16 is a face view of the spring in theopen box, and Fig. 17 is an elevation of the spring-box with the coverremoved. Figs. 18, 19, 20, and 21 are .detail views.

The bolt-works of the look here shown are the subject of aformer patent,No. 315,231, to myself, and some portion of the present invention isdesigned as an improvement thereon, while other portions are not onlyapplicable thereto, but to any system of bolts which are thrown bysprings.

A represents the door, to which the lock is attached. This may be thedoor of a safe, a vault, or any other structure.

B represents the bolts, which I have here shown as yoked together. inpairs by yokes 0, one pair to project from each edge of the door'.

' These bolts are simultaneous] y extended or retracted by a doublelever, E, which is connected at its, ends with the yokes O by pitman F.The lever E is mounted on a shaft, G, to which one or more springs, H,are attached to actuate it constantly to rotate in one direction. Whenthe two pivots I are nearly at right angles to the line of motion of thebolts, as in Figs. 1 and 3, the said bolts stand retracted, and when thepins Iare in a line parallel with the line of motion of the bolts thelatter stand extended in position to lock the door, as in Fig. 6.Through the rib D'on the opening edge of the door I pass a small rod, J,and secure its inner end firmly in the adjacent yoke, 0, so that the rodmust reciprocate with the bolts B, and anything stopping the rod stopsthe bolts.

K is a puppet located across the path of the rod J, and fitted into therib D, to project therefrom in the direction of motion of the closingdoor at a point to abut against a lug, f, which is stationarily securedwithin the safe in the path of the puppet, whereby the said puppet ispushed into the rib by the act of closing the door.

L is a springbeneath the puppet, constantly forcing it outward. Throughthis puppet is a hole, which is in the line of the rod J, and exactlyregistering therewith when the puppet is pushed in flush with the faceof the door, so that the rod may slide through the puppet. When thepuppet proj ec'ts from the face of the door, its body is in the path ofthe said rod, preventing the latter and the system of bolts therewithconnected from advancing. To prevent the puppet from being ejectedentirely from its seat by the spring L,.and to keep it from turningaround so as to throw the hole in it out of registry with the rod J ,Iprovide a shallow slotin the puppet for the end of the rod to rest in.The rod, being constantly pressed forward by the whole force of thebolt-springs, will instantly shoot through the puppet, when the closingof the door forces the latter in and brings the hole in it in line withthe'rod. By this means the bolts are restrained until the very instantwhen they arrive by the closing of the door opposite their sockets inthe doorcasing, when they are set free to project into the same, thusholding the door firmly closed without the necessity of any such wedgingas would be likely to interrupt the withdrawal of the bolts. The valueof this is the more evident from the fact that springs must be trustedto withdraw the bolts at a given time, and if they fail to operate thesafe must be broken open.

The lever E is provided with a catch, E, into the circular path of whicha latch, M, drops of its own weight to hold the lever at the point ofits revolution where the bolts are projected, as in Fig. 6; but apeculiarity of this latch M is, that its catch enters the path of thecatch E at an obtuse or non-hooking angle thereto, so that of itselfalone the latch M will not hold the lever E, but the lever will forcethe'latch from its path.

N is a detent, having a cylindrical surface adapted to engage the arm ofthe latch M, to hold the latch in engagement with the catch E. The armof the latch bears upon the cylindrical surface of the detent in a linedirectly toward the center N of the latter, so that there is no actionof leverage whatever be tween the detent and thelatch. Any amount offorce applied to the latch cannot move the detent in either direction,and any movement of the detent which leaves it engaged with the latchcannot move the latch on account of the cylindrical form of thebearing-surface of the detent. At N a segment of the detent is radiall ycut outin the path of thelatch, forming a recess into which the latchmay escape when the detent is turned from behind it. This turning iseffected by any suitable clock or time mechanism, connected with thedetent by a bar, 0, attached to an arm, N thereof. At the time fixed forthe door to be unlocked the arm N is pushed down by the clock, wherebythe latch M is released, and, being forced out of the path ofthe leverE, the latter is rotated to the position shown in Fig. 1 and retractsthe bolts by the action of the springs H.

The shaft G is squared at its outer end, and a crank, G, is removabl yfitted thereto, whereby the bolts may be set back against the strain ofthe springs. There" may be any suitable number of these springs, eitherone strong enough to operate the bolts, so that in case one springshould, from any cause, fail to work, the others will do duty.

My bolt-retarding device or yielding stop consists of a cylinder, P,Fig. 13, provided with a piston, Q, and piston-rod R, the latter being.connected with one of the bolt-yokes C by means of a lug, S. This pistonmay be fitted sufficiently freely within the cylinder to allow air toescape around it a little, and yet closely enough to cause the action ofthe boltsprings insliding the bolts to compress the air by the thrust ofthe piston, thus retarding the movement of the piston throughout itsfull course; but, finally,'when the air all escapes, it removes alltension from the springs, leaving them free to complete their course. Asthe escapement of air around the piston may be little or much, theaction of the springs may be more or less retarded. In case it should bedesirable to regulate the action of the springs atwill, Ihave provided acylinder, Figs. 8 and 9, with escape-ports a, one at each end thereof,

connected together by a tube, b,'in which a cock, 0, is located. Thiscock is a screw to be operated by a screw-driver, whereby it may beturned to bring its aperture (1 in full registry with the tube 1), whenthe least resistance will be offered to the escape of the air and to thepassage of the piston; or it may be set to check the escape of the airto any degree desired.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the piston Q, is connected with the bolt-works by meansof a stud or pin, e, passing through a slot in the cylinder I, and thepiston Q is long enough to cover the slot throughout the movement. Bothstyles of cylinders here shown are closed at each end, so as to act bothways upon the bolts, for my lock in the patent above referred to throwsthe bolts both forward and backward by the action of a spring. It isevident that the same device without alteration would act to retard abolt driven by springs one way or either way, and that one end of thecylinder might be left open if action but one way only were required.Either of the air-cylinders here described and shown meet all theconditions set out in the preamble hereto. They offer resistance to thesprings throughout the whole course thereof, thus preventing theaccumulation of such force as will cause a concussion, and theirresistance is gradually reduced as the force of the springs .inadvancing gradually diminishes, causing an even tension throughout themovement, and the resistance is at the last entirely removed, leavingthe springs free to perfect their course. The springs at first meetagradual resistance, like a cushion or spring, while compressing theair; then the compressed air is gradually forced out by the pistonoffering less and less resistance, and finally none at all, to thepiston. Still greater resistance to the advance of the springs may beoffered by introducing into the cylinder a denser fluid than air-such aswater, alcohol, glycerine, &c.which would sufficiently retard thesprings with a very small cylinder and piston, which is very desirable,because space is a great consideration in a safe. The springs beingresisted by the tension device, the connection between this device andthe springs may be made through the bolts, as shown, or in any otherconvenient way. The spring-box may have a glass set in its cover topermit the interior to be examined. The operation of the lock shown isas follows: The crank is applied to theshaft G when the lock is in itsnormal position, as in Fig. 1. The puppet K is then to be pressed in,and the lever E is to be turned backward a half-circle to the positionshown in Fig. 3, which first extends and then retracts the bolts,leaving the springs strained,and the puppet, springing out in the pathof the rod J, holds the bolts restrained. Time-clocksare alreadyarranged to draw up the rod 0 at a fixed hour, which will move thedetent N behind the latch M,

holding the latter in the path of the arm E. Now, if the door be closed,the puppet K, striking thelugf, is slid in, bringing its hole in linewith the rod J, and permitting the spring to throw the bolts forward.The arm E, being caught by the latch M, is held and the door remainslocked until the clock pushes the arm N downward, releasing the latch Mfrom the arm E, thus leaving the bolts free to be withdrawn by thecontinued circular motion of the arm E. In both of the motions of thebolts they are resisted by the cylinder and piston tension device.Clocks are already devised which may be set to open the look at any hourto suit the owner. A spring of from twenty-five to fifty pounds capacityis sufficicnt to slide the heaviest safebolts on this plan, because thefull force of the springs is applied to doing work, the pneumatic checkonly forcing itto work more slowly, while, on the contrary, whateverforce there is in a spring or cushion remains there to resist thebolt-springs and offers greatest resistance at the last moment ofaction, requiring very powerful springs to advance when their own forceis weakest against this accumulating re-- sistance.

A pneumatic check or tension such as herein described would have manyadvantages over an accumulating cushion, even if the check did not beginto act until the spring had advanced considerably on its course, forthis check would finally set the spring free, while the cushion finallyholds it strongest; but to whatever extent the spring is allowed toaccumulate force from velocity before the check is applied just to thatextent there is waste of 'power and less satisfactory results.

Heretofore hydraulic as well as pneumatic stops or checks have been usedin connection with spring-actuated doors, and I therefore do not broadlyclaim in this application a fluid check; nor do I claim, singly, thespecific construction of the check shown; neither do I herein claim,broadly, a cushion to receive the shock of bolts automatically operatedby springs, as coil-spring cushions have been here tofore suggested forsuch purpose; but I What I claim as my invention, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. The combination,with one or more bolts, one or more springs, andintermediate mech anism wherebysaid bolts are forcibly operated by thesprings in both theirforward andbackward movements, of a cylinder andpiston connected with such parts,,said cylinder being closed at bothends, whereby a gradually-diminishing resistance is offered to the boltsin both directions of movement, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination,with one or more bolts,

.one or more springs, and a slide-rod,of a pup- IIO ,the operatingspring or springs, and a sliderod, a puppet movable across the path ofand having a longitudinal groove fitted to receive the end of saidslide-rod, such puppet being adapted to permit the passage of theslide-rod when depressed, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of one or morelockbolts in a door, one or moresprings for sliding the same, a slide-rod connected with the bolts andparallel with their line of motion, a perforated puppet located acrossthe path of the said rod in a rib of the door, and adapted to projecttherefrom in the direction of motion of the closing door, a lug locatedin the path of the said puppet, and a spring beneath the puppet,substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination ofone or more lock'bolts, springs for sliding thesame, a slide-rod connected with the bolts and parallel with their,

springs for sliding the same, a rotary shaft and arm connected with thesprings to be rotated thereby, apivoted latch to engage the said arm, adetent to. hold the latch, and means to connect the detent withtime-Works, the plane of contact of the said arm and latch being at anobtuse angle with that radius of the latch which passes through the saidplane, substantially as shown and described.

7. The-combination of lock-springs, a shaft and arm attached to berotated thereby, a latch adapted to engage the arm in'a plane at anobtuse angle with a radius of the latch passing through the said plane,andadetent shaped as a cylindrical segment pivoted to engage the arm ofthe latch on the surface of the said cylinder, substantially as shownand described.

8. The combination of one or more bolts, one or more-springs, a leverconnected with said bolts, a latch adapted to engage said lever,and apivoted seg mental detent having a face curved in an arc struck from itspivot and arranged to engage the latch, substantially as set forth.

THOMAS M. BRINTNALL.

